


Alan Has Two Hands

by Theflannelwizard



Category: The Amazing World of Gumball
Genre: Alan has two hands, Coming Out, F/F, F/M, Fluff, High School AU, Human AU, I need to learn how to properly utilize the tagging system rip, I promised myself I wouldn't call this fic 'Alan Has Two Hands' but here we are, Leslie is a nonbinary icon, M/M, Masami and Leslie are also idiot BFFs who bully each other, Mentions of alcohol, Most of this is just Alan being awkward and in love, Multi, Penny is an absolute angel and I love her, Polyamory, They do swear sometimes but it's not bad, but no actual alcohol ever shows up, do I need to tag that? who knows, he does manage to fuck up a few times but mostly it's just soft, like in a polyam way AND a 'he has acquired two hands by virtue of being human' way, there are some kisses but nothing sexual
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-23
Updated: 2020-09-23
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:35:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,449
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26612299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Theflannelwizard/pseuds/Theflannelwizard
Summary: Alan loves Carmen a whole lot, but he also has a crush on Leslie, and he wants to take them both to Tobias' upcoming party. Very soft and sweet stuff with just enough angst/problems for there to be an actual plot. Also Alan spends a lot of time being flustered and/or oblivious but I love him for it.
Relationships: Alan Keane/Leslie, Carmen/Alan Keane, Carmen/Alan/Leslie, Masami Yoshida/Jamie Russo, Penny Fitzgerald/Rob/Gumball Watterson
Comments: 1
Kudos: 12





	1. Chapter 1

The sun always shone in Elmore- at least, that’s how Alan saw it. The sun always shone, the grass was soft and green, the birds sang in effortless harmony. It wasn’t perfect, but it was pretty darn close. Out on his morning walk, he waved hello to the senior citizens on the porch of the old folks’ home.   
“Good morning, Alan! Have a good day, dear!” they chorused, their tired faces grinning at him. He thanked them and returned the sentiment before continuing on his normal route through the suburbs to his bus stop. He always took the long way- it let him see more of the world, breathe more of the fresh morning air.  
Rocky pulled up to the stop exactly eight minutes late, just like always, and sped down the boulevard to pick up the Wattersons. Alan greeted him with a smile and a chipper “Good morning, Rocky!” as he walked down the aisle to find Carmen. She was sitting in her usual spot, waving to him and grinning ear to ear. Alan slid into the seat next to her, throwing his arm over her- that sweater never did get less prickly, but she swore it was soft on the inside- and gently dropping his backpack at his feet.   
“Good morning, my love.”  
A few annoyed groans came from the seats around them, but Alan didn't care. Carmen was the best girlfriend in the world, and she deserved to know it. She giggled and leaned into his chest, her frizzy buns bumping into his shoulder as she got comfortable.  
“How have you been since I last saw you?” she asked, yawning. “I missed you.”  
It had only been about 16 hours since they had seen each other, but Alan understood. That was the kind of love he and Carmen had. They always wanted to be together.  
By the time the two had gotten off the bus and walked to class, Carmen was fully awake and Alan was happy as ever.   
“Boy,” he sighed, “Can you believe it’s been nearly four years?”  
“What?” Carmen smiled at him, a bit confused by his sudden topic shift.  
“You know, our anniversary is coming up. It’s been almost four years since we started dating.”  
Which meant it was also the fourth year in a row of Tobias’ annual back to school party. How he always managed to get his parents out of the house on the same weekend was anyone’s guess, but the ‘how’ didn’t really matter as long as it happened.   
Alan liked parties. He didn’t drink, or try any drugs, or even stay up too late, but he liked being around people, and he liked having an excuse to go out with Carmen. Last year they had worn matching outfits and Tobias had playfully threatened to throw them out if they didn’t change.   
But this year, Alan was nervous about the party. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to go. It wasn’t that Tobias was, at all times, either shooing away the freshmen who desperately wanted an invite or basking in their admiration. It wasn’t even that Alan had heard Jamie was trying to convince Masami to smuggle in some of her dad’s expensive liquor. It was Carmen. She was perfect, and Alan loved her, and he wanted to be with her forever. But lately, he had been, well… pining. For Leslie, of all people, which pretty much guaranteed that if anything at all went wrong, the whole thing would be very high drama.   
Leslie wasn’t like Carmen. He was dramatic, and loud, and a completely different type of attractive, with his blue eyes and dancer’s body. Carmen was short and chubby, with dark curls and dark eyes and the warmest smile. Carmen felt like coming home, like safety and comfort and everything soft. Leslie felt like- or at least, Alan assumed Leslie would feel like adventure and glamour and a brand new, exciting type of love. And Alan wanted both.  
The problem was figuring out how to explain this to Carmen without making her feel like she wasn’t enough. Carmen had known Alan was bisexual for years, but he hadn’t really come out to anyone as polyamorous. Not because he didn’t trust anyone to know, just because there hadn’t really been any reason to. Until recently, he had been happy with Carmen and only Carmen, and he knew she was happy with only him. She said it all the time- “my one and only,” “the only one for me,” “I can’t imagine being with anyone else.”   
Alan trusted Carmen to care about him and to put his heart first. He and Carmen always did that for each other. What he wasn’t as sure about was his ability to explain to her that maybe he wanted two partners, and that didn’t mean he loved her any less, it just meant he loved someone else, too.   
“Alan? Alan, come on, that was the bell. What’s going on in that cute lil head of yours?” Carmen laughed as Alan came to, grabbing his hand and tugging him out of the classroom. 

For the first time in years, Alan couldn’t sleep. He had butterflies in his stomach, in his chest, and, based on how fidgety he was, in his legs and feet, too. He pushed his hair back, staring at the ceiling, and wished things were easier. Why did he have to go and fall for Leslie? That was a stupid question- no, there were no stupid questions, but it was one that he knew the answer to. Leslie was gorgeous, and confident, and bold and bright and wonderful. It was in his aura- he made things exciting, and he made Alan laugh, and he had never been anyone but himself. Leslie had been out as gay since elementary school, and out as nonbinary since middle school, and he wore what he wanted and laughed too loud and seemed to be talented at just about everything he tried. It was unfair how good he was. And it was unfair that even as Alan felt his face turn bright red at the mere thought of holding Leslie’s hand, he was still deeply, profoundly in love with Carmen. At least if he had fallen out of love with her, things would be simpler.   
'Gumball has two partners,' he figured. 'Gumball has Penny and Rob, and it’s totally fine, and all three of them are happy.' But things seemed to just happen that way for Gumball. He had this odd luck that got him in excessive trouble, but also consistently got him out of it. No matter how many times things went wrong for Gumball, he always seemed to end up on top. And Alan was happy for his friend. But he worried that things wouldn’t go the same way for him, especially since Carmen, despite her newfound patience, still wasn’t Penny Fitzgerald, with her endless capacity for trying new situations and her steady self confidence. Penny had, at one point, been more anxious and self conscious, but her friendly, optimistic demeanor and the unconditional love she received from her family, friends, and boyfriend had helped her grow into one of the most stable people Alan knew. Carmen, for all her love and warmth, might not be ready to share like Penny was.   
But there was no point in just worrying about how things could go wrong. If they did, he would find a way to fix it, and if they didn’t, well, that would be great! Alan only had control over how he presented it, not over how Carmen reacted. The thought helped calm him a little, and he barely processed his alarm clock blinking 3:26 as he finally relaxed into a hazy, dreamless sleep.

The first thought Alan had the next morning was less a coherent thought and more a jumble of expletives he would never say out loud. For the first time he could remember, he had overslept. If he hurried, he could catch the bus by taking the short route. Mentally apologizing to the senior citizens he wouldn’t get to greet, Alan slapped his alarm clock off, splashed some water on his face, grabbed an apple and his backpack, and ran out the front door, yelling a hasty “I love you” to his parents as it closed behind him. He dashed across the lawn, apologizing to the grass for flattening it, and down the street to the bus stop. As Rocky pulled up, Alan forced himself to calm his breathing and smile, fixing his hair so it wouldn’t be obvious that he had almost been late. As always, he wished Rocky a good morning and sat down next to Carmen.  
“Hey,” he breathed, still panting a little, and dropped his backpack harder than intended, the dull thunk startling him just a little.  
“Hey,” Carmen laughed. “What’s up with you?”  
“I overslept,” Alan admitted. “For the first time in my life. And it turns out these stick legs aren’t made for running.”   
“Well, are they made for dancing?” Carmen asked, smiling up at him. “Tobias announced the date of his party. It’s in two weeks on Saturday. We’re going together, right?”  
Alan’s brain turned to static. Of course he was going with Carmen. The question was whether he was going with just Carmen.  
“Well, uh, about that,” he heard himself say, “what if- I mean, how would you feel if, er, is it okay with you if I ask someone else? I love you!”   
'What was that?! That was not how I was going to say it! What the heck just happened?!'   
Alan watched Carmen’s face twist into nervous confusion as he scrambled to say something, anything, that helped.  
“No! No, I don’t mean, like, not go with you, because I love you and I want to be with you forever, also you’re really pretty and you’re amazing and, I mean, uh, what if I have two hands… for… holding.”   
Shit. Alan was supposed to be good at these things! He knew how to talk to Carmen, he knew how to handle sensitive topics! Except, apparently, he didn’t.  
“Alan, what are you trying to say here? If I’m not enough for you, you don’t have to be gentle about it.” Carmen’s eyes were shining with confusion and unshed tears. “Just tell me what’s going on.”  
Alan took a deep breath, hoping his words would come out the way he meant them this time.   
“Carmen, I-” his sentence was cut short as the bus jolted to a stop, Rocky’s friendly voice calling for everyone to get off. Alan awkwardly scooted out of his seat and walked off the bus, almost forgetting to thank Rocky on the way down the steps. He turned over his shoulder to find Carmen, but she had disappeared into the crowd. When he finally caught up with her in homeroom, she was sitting between Penny and Masami, her eyes and cheeks just a little too red. Alan sighed and sat down alone, silently cursing himself.  
His morning classes were a blur. Nothing was as important as making things better with Carmen before she became fully convinced that she wasn’t enough, or he didn’t care, or any other number of awful things. Alan needed her to know he loved her. When the lunch bell rang, he power walked to the cafeteria and sat down at their regular table. Carmen walked in a few minutes later, and he waved her over, hoping the face he was making read as an apologetic smile and not a dismissive one. Carmen waved back, then turned and joined her fellow cheerleaders at their table. Alan felt his heart drop. How could he have messed up so badly? He groaned quietly and let his head fall into his hands, propping himself up on his elbows.   
“Hey, uh, is it cool if I sit here? My usual spot has been usurped,” a familiar voice joked awkwardly. Of course. If Carmen was sitting with the cheerleaders, that meant one of them didn’t have a spot anymore. Might as well be Leslie.  
“Yeah, of course,” Alan managed, not sure whether he was forcing or suppressing a smile. Either way, his face felt strained, and he was sure Leslie could tell something was off.  
“So, uh… everything okay with Carmen? If I’m allowed to ask. She seems pretty torn up about something.”  
Right. Leslie liked drama, and he had never been good at boundaries. That didn’t change the fact that he was blushing just enough for Alan to notice, and there was something genuine in his tone. 'Well,' Alan figured, 'things aren’t getting much worse from here. I may as well talk to someone.'  
“Long story short, she asked me to Tobias’ party, and I didn’t say no, but I did very awkwardly try to come out to her as polyamorous, and now she thinks she’s not enough for me and she won’t let me explain.” Yikes. That definitely sounded more bitter than Alan felt.  
“Oh. I didn’t know you were-”  
“Yeah, that’s why I had to tell her. Nobody knew.”   
“That… makes sense. Well, uh, I’m glad to hear it.” Leslie’s face turned bright red, and he rushed into his next words. “Not for any reason, and not glad about Carmen, I just, uh, I’m happy for you. Happy you’re finding yourself. Happy for my friend.” Leslie trailed off and shoved an orange slice into his mouth, still blushing, as Alan held back a laugh. It was good to know he wasn’t the only one who was awkward today, and, man, Leslie was cute all flustered like this.   
“No worries. I didn’t take anything the wrong way,” Alan offered. “I just wish I could tell Carmen that nothing has to change between us. I still think she’s the most beautiful, wonderful, amazing girl in the whole world, and I would give anything to have her next to me. I wasn’t thinking straight because I almost missed the bus, and I was tired and nervous, and now she’s upset and I feel awful about it. All this because I didn’t know how to tell her I might want a second partner. I still love her just as much, y’know? Gumball makes it work, so why shouldn’t I?”  
“I hear you. Um, not to pry, but who else were you gonna ask?”  
“No. No, no, no. I’m not telling anyone that until I clear it with Carmen, and, well, no offense, but-”  
“You don’t want the whole school to know. I get it,” Leslie sighed dramatically, placing one hand daintily on his forehead. “I have a reputation. You can’t trust me with such things.”  
He dropped the pose and laughed, Alan laughing with him. Maybe it was just his imagination, but Alan could have sworn Leslie was leaning across the table toward him. 

“Hi, Carmen. Can we please talk? I love you, really, and this is important. You have my number.” Alan hung up, guessing six voicemails were more than enough, and slipped his phone into his pocket. The two hadn’t spoken in three days, and now that it was the weekend, Alan really wanted to take advantage of his free time and sort things out with her. Carmen hadn’t officially broken up with him, which Alan took as a good sign, but she was clearly upset with him. As he sat down at his desk and flipped his laptop open, resigning himself to working on an extra credit essay, his cell phone buzzed in his pocket. It had to be Carmen. His heart jumped, and he picked up without checking who was calling.  
“Hey! Hi! I’ve been hoping you’d cal!”  
“Really?” Leslie’s voice came through the receiver, and Alan’s heart stayed in his throat, but somehow it felt different.  
“Uh, yeah,” Alan bluffed. Was it a bluff if it was true? He had been hoping Leslie would call, but then, he had been hoping for any interaction with Leslie at all.  
“That’s, uh, really sweet, Alan. I wanted to ask if you’re doing anything this weekend. Penny and I are getting some people together to go to the mall, and right now it’s just us, Masami and Jamie, who might split off, and Teri. We also have a maybe from Molly. It’s gonna be fun if you wanna join us!”  
“Is there any chance Carmen’s gonna be there?” Alan asked, unsure whether he wanted to hear a yes or a no.  
“She’s busy already. Something about self care and a lot of homework.” Leslie sounded almost apologetic, as if he knew the real reason Carmen wasn’t coming was she was going to be crying to The Smiths all weekend, and as if he knew Alan knew it now, too.  
“Oh. Well, I guess I could come. I haven’t really spent too much time with friends lately,” Alan confessed. In retrospect, he hadn’t spent much time with friends... ever. It wasn’t that he didn’t have friends, or even that he didn’t want to spend time with them, he just had been busy volunteering and spending what free time he had with Carmen. He didn’t like being separated from her, but maybe, if he had to be, it would be better to try to have a good time than to sit in his room worrying.  
“Great! I’m glad you’re coming! I’ll see you tomorrow, then? Noon?”  
“Sounds good,” Alan chuckled, his heart warmed by the excitement in his friend’s voice.   
“See you then. Bye, Alan.”  
The call ended before Alan got a chance to say goodbye, which was probably a good thing, as the softness in Leslie’s tone had caught him completely off guard. Alan smiled weakly, then slumped back in his chair, wanting to scream. He didn’t know which was more intense, the flustered excitement he felt knowing he was going to spend all day with Leslie, or the sinking nervousness he couldn’t help but feel for the same reason. Alan didn’t want Carmen to feel replaced. Alan didn’t even want anyone to know about the butterflies Leslie gave him until he knew for sure that Carmen was okay with it. And right now it seemed like Carmen was very not okay with it. Sitting back up, he pulled his phone back out and called Carmen again. Maybe this time she’ll pick up, he thought, despite expecting the opposite.  
“Okay, Alan, what do you want?”  
Alan gasped quietly at the sound of her voice.  
“Carmen! Oh, thank God, I was so scared you were never gonna talk to me again!”  
“I considered it,” Carmen deadpanned. “But your messages sounded so desperate. What’s going on? What’s happening between us?”  
“Okay,” Alan said firmly, determined to get it right this time. “On the bus the other day, when I messed up, I was trying to come out to you as polyamorous. You know what that means, right?”  
“Yeah,” Carmen mumbled, sounding almost embarrassed. “Penny told me she thought that was what you were saying, and, well, you know me. I would never judge you for that.”  
It was true. Carmen, despite being straight and cis, had been one of the biggest advocates for Elmore Junior High to start a GSA, and she had educated herself as much as possible on every social and political issue she could find. If Alan had any say in the matter, Carmen would end up as president someday.  
“Thanks, Carmen. All I was trying to say is, y’know, I think I have a crush. And it doesn’t mean I love you any less, or I want to spend less time with you, or that our relationship has to change at all. I love you. I don’t think I’ll ever stop loving you. And that’s part of why I wanted to ask how you felt about it before I asked someone else to the party as well as you.”  
Carmen was silent for a dangerously long period of time, and Alan felt his heart speed up in his chest.  
“I guess… I guess I need some time to get used to that idea. I don’t want to hold you back, Alan. I don’t want to keep you from the happiness you deserve. You’re sweet, and kind, and honest, and everything you do comes from a place of goodness. I love you, you know that, right? And that’s why I’m gonna say go ahead. Go and ask your other person, and if they have even half a brain they’ll say yes. But I might need a little space for a few days.”  
“Wait, what? No! Carmen, I asked because I want to put you first! I want-”  
“Alan, listen to me. I’m not breaking up with you, okay? I’m just saying if you’re gonna have two partners, which, I guess, if anyone deserves that, you do- if you’re gonna do that, I support you, and I love you, and I need some space for a bit to think, and to breathe, and to get used to it. And you can spend some time with whomever it is, and then when we’re all ready, we can start hanging out all at the same time. Does that make sense? Because I think that’s what we need.”  
Alan opened his mouth a few times before any words found their way out.  
“I understand. I, um, I love you a lot. And I don’t want you to feel replaced. Nothing and nobody could ever replace you.”  
“I don’t feel replaced, Alan. I don’t really know what I feel. It’s just not something I’m used to, and once I get used to it, hopefully things will go back to normal. No, hopefully things will be better than normal. I’ll see you at the party, okay?”  
“Okay.” What else was there to say? Alan blinked, not quite sure if this was a good outcome or not.  
“Also, who is it? The other person. I wasn’t sure I wanted to know at first, but now I think I do.”  
Alan had never admitted to it out loud. He knew Leslie made him feel things, really good things, and he knew he had every intention of bringing Leslie to that party if he agreed to come. But it caught in his throat when he tried to say it.  
“Come on, Alan. You kind of owe me this one. I deserve to know who my boyfriend is asking out.” Carmen’s voice wasn’t angry, but the amusement definitely had an undertone of annoyance.   
“Of course! Sorry, I was just- it’s Leslie. I kinda have a crush on Leslie.”  
“That’s what I figured.”  
Wait a minute, Carmen knew? How did she-  
“You’ve been spending a lot of time with him lately. On the bus, at lunch, in homeroom. But I didn’t want to assume. Anyway, um. I’ll see you at school, I guess. And if I don’t, I’ll see you at the party.”  
“Yeah. I love you, Carmen. And I miss you.”  
“Yep. …Bye, now.”  
“Talk to you later.”  
Alan put his phone down and left his desk, flopping onto his bed instead. Was this good? He still had Carmen, but when people said they needed space, they didn’t always end up getting back together, and she had been so… civil. It was almost like she was holding something back. Was she mad? Was she as okay as she said she was? And, maybe most worryingly, was she ever going to love Alan as much as she had just days ago? She said she supported him. She said she wanted him to be happy, and Alan believed that, but he couldn’t help but worry anyway.   
'Now is not the time to become a pessimist, Alan,' he told himself. 'Now is the time to trust Carmen to know what’s best for her and for us, and to let yourself have a good time with Leslie and your friends. Everything is going to work out, just like it always does.'  
Carmen had asked for space. And she wasn’t the type to play games. If she said she wanted space, Alan would give her space, and he would trust that she would come back to him within the week like she said. But for now, he needed to get some rest. Tomorrow was going to be a big day.

Alan had been to the Elmore mall hundreds of times before, but it felt entirely new now that he was here with friends. Especially these friends. Fine, especially Leslie.   
“Okay,” Masami said, reading off the notes she had taken on her phone, “Jamie’s just here because I am, which is super sexy of her and also means anything I vote to do counts double, Alan and Penny are both insisting that they don’t care what we do, Teri just wants to walk with us but won’t actually touch anything in the stores because she’s nervous about sanitation, and Leslie’s a bitch who can’t outvote me because, like I said, my vote counts double. This is gonna be fun!” She smiled at the group, clearly comfortable with them.  
“I’m not a bitch, Masami, I’m a dumbass twink. I thought we talked about this!” Leslie, Masami, and Penny dissolved into laughter, and Teri soon joined, leaving Alan and Jamie to awkwardly glance at each other. Alan could tell that if Jamie and Masami hadn’t somehow fallen hard for each other, Jamie wouldn’t be at the mall on a day like today. She would be outside, or hanging out with Tina, or any number of things that weren’t this. But she put her arm over Masami and shrugged, looking away from Alan, who instinctively moved closer to Leslie. Jamie had calmed down a bit since junior high, but Alan, with his lanky body and do-gooder reputation, was still just a little nervous around her.  
“Anyway,” Masami continued, “I’m basically the boss around here, and I say we go and smell all the soaps and candles and argue about which ones are the best.”  
Alan perked up at that. He liked things that smelled nice, and hopefully this was something he could participate in without too obviously being new to the group. The six of them walked down the hall together, Masami latching onto Jamie’s arm in an almost obnoxiously obvious manner- was that what Alan and Carmen were like?- and, upon entering the shop, naturally paired off.   
“Come on,” Leslie said, pulling Alan behind him. “I really like all the floral ones, they smell super nice!”  
Alan just followed, a dopey grin threatening to take over his face at the feeling of Leslie’s hand gripping his.   
'This is okay with Carmen,' he reminded himself. 'I talked to her, and she said it’s okay, and oh, God, his grip is so strong but his skin is so soft.'  
The two ducked into a corner of the shop, Leslie enthusiastically and methodically reading through the names of the candles.  
“This one!” he said, pulling a candle off the shelf. “Here, smell this. It’s my favourite, but Penny and Masami say it’s too strong. I wanna know if you like it.”  
The candle had a distinctly floral scent, but it was unlike any flower Alan had ever smelled. There was something oddly sweet about it, almost like honey or fruit, that made it clear the candle was made to smell like the idea of flowers rather than any one type. Maybe it was just the knowledge that Leslie liked it, but Alan found it calming and poetic, the idea of creating a scent based around a concept.   
“I like it a lot,” he said, handing the candle back to Leslie, whose eyes scrunched up in a smile. “I don’t think they’re smelling it right. They want specifics, but this one is supposed to be an idea. A feeling, almost. Right?”  
“Exactly! It’s called Pink Petals. It’s not like the roses and lilies and lavenders, it’s just… kinda nice.” Leslie blushed, looking down in embarrassment.   
Is he nervous about how excited he got over the candle? Because if he is, he shouldn’t be. It’s cute.  
“It’s a good candle,” Alan said, encouraging another smile from Leslie. “I never actually noticed that one before. I like… coconut.” It was true. Alan did like the smell of coconut. But he still felt incredibly stupid and awkward as the words left his lips.  
“Fab. Coconut. Do you wanna, uh, go find the coconut ones? I think they’re... kinda... over there.” Leslie gestured vaguely over Alan’s shoulder and took a step in that direction. Alan managed to miss the cue and didn’t move, resulting in Leslie having just moved in almost too close. The two looked at each other, both of them blushing profusely.  
'Is this it?' Alan wondered. 'Is this how I get him to go to that party with me? By saying I like coconut?'  
“Um, I was talking to Carmen, and she said-”  
“Right! Carmen! Um. Sorry.” Leslie stepped back, breaking out of the moment.  
“No, no, I-”  
“We were gonna go find the coconut candles, right?”  
'I was gonna say she didn’t mind if I asked you to the party,' Alan thought. 'Like, as a date. Would you like that?'  
“Yeah," he said, holding back the disappointment that threatened to creep into his voice. "Coconut.”

Somehow, despite all six of them agreeing that food court food was not worth the price, the friends ended up in the food court, debating what to do once their nachos were gone.  
“I’m just saying that whether or not we go to that boutique none of us can afford, we should all wash our hands after this,” Teri interjected.  
“My dad accidentally gave me $1200 in cash,” Masami replied. “I can afford anything any of us wants today. But yeah, I agree with you.”  
“Maybe we could catch a movie,” Penny suggested. “Carrie says the sequel to The Screamening is way better than the original, and it’s not even that scary.”  
“Not that scary by Carrie’s standards,” Teri pointed out as Jamie not-so-subtly pulled the rest of the nachos out of the center of the table and finished them herself.  
“Aw, don’t be a baby, Teri,” Leslie teased. “It’ll be fun!”  
“If it’s too scary for you, I’ll leave the theater and we can hang out, okay?” Penny offered. “I can always go with Polly or Gumball later.”  
Teri nodded, a grateful smile on her face, and the six left the food court to wash their hands and go get tickets.

Somehow, Alan managed to make it through the commercials before processing that he was watching a movie, in theaters, with Leslie. Maybe because there were four other people there, or maybe because neither of them had technically asked the other, but, for whatever reason, he didn’t process it as at all romantic until Masami stage whispered “Hey Leslie, how are you and your boyfriend doing? Want some of the popcorn?” from four seats down. He found himself frozen to his seat with excellent posture, staring straight ahead at the screen in case Masami, or anyone, really, was looking at him.  
“Shut up,” Leslie stage whispered back, “the movie’s starting.”   
'He didn’t deny it,' Alan noticed silently. 'He didn’t say I’m not his boyfriend.' The butterflies were decidedly back.  
“Sorry about her,” Leslie whispered- a real whisper this time, and Alan couldn’t help but notice how close Leslie had gotten. Probably just to make sure Alan could hear him, but still.   
“I don’t mind,” Alan replied, still staring straight at the screen. “She can call me your boyfriend if she wants. And, uh, you could too, if, if you want.”  
'Oh my god,' he thought, equal parts giddy and embarrassed. 'I did it. And I did it… like that.'  
Onscreen, a young couple tiptoed through the forest. Leslie was silent. Was that shock? Discomfort? Had Alan fucked up?  
“But… Carmen,” Leslie whispered, his hand gripping Alan’s arm. How long had that been happening?   
“She doesn’t mind,” Alan assured him. “I talked to her, and she said it’s okay.”  
Alan turned his head to smile at Leslie, and, as he did, a scream came from the speakers, along with an awful splattering sound that he did not regret missing the visuals to. Teri yelped, Leslie flinched, and Penny’s comforting voice rose just loud enough to be heard over the movie. Within seconds, she and a shuddering Teri were scooting down the aisle, leaving two empty seats between Leslie and Masami, with Alan and Jamie on the outer edges. As Penny passed by, Alan could have sworn he overheard her wish Leslie good luck.  
Maybe because they had been interrupted, or maybe because the movie was picking up, Leslie didn’t say anything. Alan didn’t push it. He became more anxious by the second- was this a rejection?- but he didn’t bring it up again. The ball was in Leslie’s court now. Not that either of them would ever be found on a sports court. Tennis court. It was tennis that was played on courts.  
Another awful jumpscare startled Alan out of his head and back into the present. It must have startled Leslie, too, because he leaned into Alan, wrapping both of his arms around Alan’s and clutching his sleeve.  
“You good?” Alan asked, still a bit shaken himself.  
“Totally,” Leslie breathed, still holding on to Alan’s arm. “I just scare easily. I’ll be fine.” Screams and sickening crunching noises suddenly filled the theater, and Leslie tightened his grip, pressing his face into Alan’s shoulder and sending him enough serotonin to clear his mind and keep him happy for a week.   
“It’s okay,” Alan said softly. “I’ve got you.” Was that too much? Leslie nodded into his sleeve, so he assumed not. He gently untangled his arm and put it over Leslie, who flipped up the armrest between them. Alan hadn’t known those were movable, but boy, was he glad they were. At each scare or scream, even the highly predictable ones, Leslie got a little closer to Alan, until, by the end of the movie, his head was nestled under Alan’s chin and he clearly wasn’t even watching the screen. Alan kept his arm wrapped around Leslie’s shoulders, moving as little as possible so he wouldn’t accidentally cue Leslie to get off of him. As the credits rolled, Alan relaxed his body slightly and spoke into the top of Leslie’s head.  
“So, would you like to come to Tobias’ party with Carmen and me? Mostly me?”  
Leslie picked up his head to meet Alan’s gaze and nodded, his face pink and glowing.  
“I would absolutely love that.”  
“Perfect.” Acting on impulse, Alan leaned down and kissed Leslie gently on the forehead, then, processing what he had just done, stammered out a quiet “was that okay?” Based on the tight hug Alan immediately received, Leslie’s muffled response was a yes.

On Monday, Carmen smiled at Alan from her seat on the bus, but Molly was already sitting next to her, so Alan sat with Leslie and held his hand. On Tuesday, Carmen sat next to Alan in homeroom, but not at lunch. That was okay. Alan was enjoying his time with Leslie, even if it was time without Carmen. He was sure that before too long, all three of them could hang out together.   
On Wednesday, Carmen waved Alan over to sit with her on the bus, and he did.  
“So. It’s been a minute,” she said, almost shy.  
“Yeah. I’ve missed you,” Alan replied, and it was true. Leslie made him so, so happy. But Carmen made him just as happy in an entirely different way, and he was glad to be talking to her again.  
“How could you have time to miss me? You managed to get yourself a whole boyfriend,” Carmen laughed. Alan smiled at her, glad to see she didn’t seem to feel threatened. “Hey, listen, I hope you didn’t feel snubbed or pushed away by me. I really did just need a little time and space to adjust.”  
“I know. And, to be fair, I worded it pretty poorly at first.”   
“Which is surprising. You’re usually such a poet.” God, did it feel good to be close to Carmen again. Her dark eyes shone with the gentle love Alan had grown used to receiving from her, and his heart felt full just from looking at her. He could tell everything was going to be more than fine.


	2. Chapter 2

Alan convinced his parents to let him drive to the party on the condition that he promised he would stay sober. He didn’t even really have to promise. That had been his plan anyway. He picked Carmen up first, and she climbed into the passenger seat, smoothing out her black skirt as she sat down. Her usual hair buns were adorned with little green bows which matched her sweater, and her smile was warm as ever.  
“You look great,” Alan offered, blushing a little as he pulled out of the driveway. “It didn’t occur to me to dress up at all.”  
“That’s probably a good thing,” Carmen giggled, “considering you wear a bow tie nearly every day. I wouldn’t want you to show up to a house party in a tux.”  
“Fair point. But really, you’re gorgeous.”  
“Thanks, Alan. So are you. Have I told you lately how much I love your freckles?”  
“Have I told you lately how much I love your kind heart?”  
“Have I told you lately how much I love you? Just, all of you?” Carmen awkwardly but sweetly patted Alan’s shoulder, careful not to distract him from driving.  
“Believe me, it’s more than mutual,” Alan said. “I gotta pick up Leslie next, okay? And I said I would drive Joe, too, since he’s still on his learner’s permit and he would usually get a ride from Tobias.”  
“Sounds good.” Carmen nodded as she flipped on the radio.   
It only took a few minutes to get to Leslie’s. He had clearly been waiting at the door, as he came running out, waving, as Alan pulled into the driveway. Alan caught his breath upon seeing Leslie. He was wearing a bright green bow tie and a pink skirt, an outfit that surely would have looked tacky on anyone else, but by some miracle he pulled it off.   
“Hi, Carmen! Hey, Alan,” he said, climbing into the backseat. “We all match.”  
It was true. Somehow, Leslie had managed to match his skirt to Carmen’s and his tie to Alan’s. The three of them glanced around at each other, aware that they were about to have either a very good time or a very uncomfortable one. Then Carmen started laughing. Just a light, gentle laugh, but, thank God, a laugh nonetheless.  
“We bought these together, didn’t we?” she asked, tugging her skirt out in front of her. “We’re literally wearing the same skirt in different colours! I love it!”  
“Oh my God,” Leslie giggled, “we are! We totally are! What if Penny is wearing the yellow one?”   
Alan, despite not completely understanding what was so funny, couldn’t help but laugh with them. He had been right. Carmen and Leslie were friends, and this wasn’t going to be awkward after all.

Okay, so maybe Alan had spoken too soon. Joe had spent the entire car ride, an agonizing ten minutes, completely oblivious to the fact that nobody wanted to watch him twist his fist in and out of his mouth. The first time, it had been a bit uncomfortable but, overall, nothing out of the ordinary for Joe. But by the time Alan got to Tobias’ house, the discomfort in the car was palpable.  
“Did you all see it that time?” Joe asked, grinning and wiping his hand on his pants. “The whole thing! In my mouth, and right back out! Didn’t even lose any teeth!”  
“Yeah. That was really something, Joe,” Alan said, hoping he sounded more genuine than he felt. “C’mon, everybody out.” Everybody out? Man, that sounded like he was talking to his scout troop. Joe, as if he actually were one of Alan’s kindergarteners, ran ahead to ring the doorbell, and Alan slung one arm over Carmen’s shoulders as they walked, reaching out to grab Leslie’s hand with the other.   
Woah.   
The feeling of having both of them right there with him was brand new, and it was overwhelmingly good. Alan grinned almost too wide, not caring whether he looked like a dope, and clumsily tried to squeeze Leslie’s hand and pull Carmen closer at the same time.  
“I think we’re too much for him,” Leslie stage whispered, making Carmen reach around Alan’s back and smack him playfully up the back of his head.  
“Hey! I worked hard on getting my hair this nice!”  
“You could try getting taller,” Alan joked. “She tries to do that to me, too, but she can’t reach.”  
“See, you think you’re being funny, but I know for a fact he owns at least three pairs of heels,” Carmen deadpanned, smiling.   
“Sure, but can I walk in them?”   
“Yes. I’ve seen you do it, and I said you should be careful because if you twist an ankle you can’t dance or cheer, and you said ‘Calm down, Carmen, I know how to walk in heels,’ and that was the day we learned that maybe you can walk in heels, but Penny cannot.”   
“Yeah. Yeah, I can walk in heels, I don’t know why I would pretend I couldn’t.”  
Tobias opened the door as they walked up the steps to his porch. He punched Joe on the shoulder, grinning from ear to ear.  
“Hey guys! You made it! Joe, pro tip, the freshmen think we’re super cool without us even doing anything. Go crazy, but don’t break anything, capiche?”  
“You got it!” Joe disappeared into the crowd, half of whom Alan didn’t even recognise.  
“Hey, Alan. Carmen. And Leslie. Hold up, Alan, how come you get two dates when I still can’t get one? I’m cool! I’m the guy hosting this whole thing!” Tobias laughed, and his smile didn’t waver. He seemed more confident than ever tonight, although that could be the ego boost of having half the school in his living room.  
“Got lucky, I guess,” Alan replied. “Really, really lucky.”  
“Gross. Leave it to you to get all sappy ten seconds after getting here. Anyway, food’s over there, and there’s no alcohol as far as I’m aware, but if any shows up, let me know so I can make sure there’s no evidence, yeah?”  
“Sure thing,” Leslie interjected before either Alan or Carmen got the chance to lecture Tobias. “By the way, your makeup looks great. I almost didn’t notice it, it’s so natural on you. I’m calling it now, blues on your eyelids would really pop. Wait, even better- blue lipstick! When you’re ready for it, of course.”  
“Yeah, yeah.” Tobias waved a dismissive hand, but his face betrayed that he was pleased. “Anyway, I gotta bounce. There are, like, a million people begging for my attention. Catch ya later!”   
It was then that, just like every year, Alan remembered he had no clue what he was actually supposed to do at a party. Have fun, sure, and hang out, but a lot of the things Alan called fun, others called community service or even punishment. He looked around the crowded room. People were dancing, and a small circle of mostly girls had formed off to the side. From the looks of it, they were playing Never Have I Ever, and all of Teri’s fingers were still up. Next to her was an empty gap, and then Jamie, with all but one of her fingers curled into her palms.  
Suddenly, Alan felt Leslie’s hand get jerked away from his as Masami jumped onto her best friend’s back. That would explain the gap between Teri and Jamie.  
“You’re here!” she squealed as Leslie stumbled into the wall. “Awww, and you’re with Alan! I told you he liked you back.” She slid back down to the floor, her energy making it almost seem like she wasn’t one of the shortest people in the room.   
“Hi, Alan!” she continued, waving up at him. “I’m gonna steal Leslie for a bit, okay?! I’ll give him back later!” Without waiting for a response, she linked arms with Leslie and dragged him, shrugging and smiling, to the circle of girls.  
“So, what now?” Alan asked Carmen. “I’m up for whatever you want to do.”  
“Last year there was a scary movie in the basement,” Carmen suggested. “We could get some food and go sit together.”  
“Sure, why not? Leslie scares easily, too, so it would be smart to do that while he’s busy.”  
Carmen looked up quizzically. “What are you talking about? Sarah convinced us to watch a horror movie marathon once, and he was the only person aside from her who never flinched or screamed.”  
“Really? Last weekend, when I saw a movie with him and a bunch of people, he kept needing me to kinda comfort and protect him. I- oh.” Alan felt his face get red as he realised what Leslie had done.   
“Yeah, that sounds like him. Absolutely shameless. I love that for you,” Carmen said, tugging Alan toward the food. “C’mon. I wanna get down there before we end up having to share an armchair like last year.”  
“That doesn’t sound like the end of the world,” Alan replied, walking with her and grabbing a cookie.

It wasn’t a horror movie this year. In fact, the only other people watching were a group of freshman girls Alan didn’t recognise, and two of them were mouthing the script along with the young, heartthrob actor on the screen, so Alan assumed they had picked the movie themselves.   
“I cannot believe we’re at a party hosted by Tobias Wilson and “Language Barrier,” the 2007 movie about some guy falling in love with a French woman, is playing,” Carmen giggled. “But, hey, I kinda like it down here. It’s quiet, and I have my popcorn, and we can share the same armchair we sat in last time.” She gestured to the chair, and Alan sat down, helping her climb up into his lap. One of the freshmen giggled and nudged her friend, who did a very poor job of pretending not to look at them. Alan waved to her, hoping to show that he and Carmen weren’t scary, and the girl went pale.  
“You, uh, you make a cute couple,” she stammered, before gluing her eyes back to the screen.  
“Thanks,” Alan said, trying to as casual and confident as possible. His voice cracked in the middle of the word, and he promptly buried his burning face in the top of Carmen’s head as the girls started giggling again. That was one of the things he loved about being so much taller than Carmen- she could sit in his lap, and he could see over the top of her head, faceplant in it, or kiss it if he wanted. She was the perfect size, and her tight curls, while not exactly soft, felt nice on his skin. Without moving, he pressed his lips to the top of Carmen’s head and kissed her. She tilted her head subtly, just enough that Alan knew she felt and appreciated it, and he smiled into her curls.

Alan and Carmen must have shown up a good two thirds of the way through the movie, but it was cliche enough that Alan understood what was going on without context. The woman onscreen- did Alan recognise her from a perfume commercial?- was giving a monologue in a heavy but clearly fake French accent, and occasional shots of the male lead showed him misty eyed and sweaty, probably from having chased her through Paris in the last scene. After one of the freshmen had spent a suspiciously long time upstairs “in the bathroom,” the others had gone to find her, leaving just Alan and Carmen in the basement. Neither of them was particularly invested in the movie, but it was nice to be cuddling with the sounds of the TV in front of them and the party upstairs. It had only gotten more loud and crowded since they had been there, and Alan was glad he didn’t have to navigate the overwhelming atmosphere.  
“They’re about to kiss,” Carmen said, as if it wasn’t obvious.  
“Yeah, that’s how this sort of movie usually goes,” Alan responded.  
“No, I mean...” Carmen shifted on Alan’s lap, turning herself over to straddle him on her knees. “They’re about to kiss.” Her eyes met his, a sweet smile tugging the corners of her mouth upward.  
“...Oh!” Alan put his hands on Carmen’s waist, holding her gaze and his breath.   
“Mademoiselle,” said the actor onscreen, “I must admit… je t’aime.”  
And Carmen’s lips met his. Alan had kissed Carmen before, but it never stopped feeling new and special. Her lips were chapped- they always were- but there was an innate gentleness to them, and Alan couldn’t get enough. Kissing Carmen made him feel like the world could end and it would be just fine. She brought her hands up from Alan’s shoulders to cup his face, letting out a soft hum of pleasure and turning Alan’s brain to lovestruck mush. He pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her without caring how prickly her sweater was. All he could focus on was the fact that he loved Carmen, and she was kissing him, and he was kissing his girlfriend at a party, which was somehow even more exciting than kissing her anywhere else. Carmen pulled away to catch her breath, and Alan was surprised to hear himself audibly panting.  
“I love you,” she murmured, the backlighting from the TV making her glow like an angel in the otherwise dark room.  
“I love you, too. So, so much. You’re why the Ancient Greeks became poets.”  
“How do you do it, Alan?” Carmen asked, a hint of amusement in her voice.  
“Do what?”  
“Come up with things like that. It barely makes sense, but it’s also the most romantic thing I’ve ever heard. You’ve been doing it since middle school.”  
“I don’t know. That’s just… what I think. When I look at you.”  
Carmen smiled and kissed him again, but not nearly as long or deep.  
“If and when I marry you, I want you to say those sorts of things, okay?”  
“I don’t think I’d be able to stop myself if I tried.” Alan helped Carmen readjust herself in the chair so she was sitting sideways on his lap, able to see his face but no longer straddling him. They smiled at each other for what felt like forever, comfortable in their shared silence until a voice on the stairs broke it.  
“I swear they’re down here! Carmen? Alan?” Teri’s gentle soprano called.  
“Hey, Teri! We’re here,” Carmen responded, getting up to greet her friend.  
“Oh, good! Some people upstairs and I wanted to play another game, but we’re running low on people as everyone gets up to dance or see their other friends. Will you come up and join us?”  
Carmen turned back to Alan and smiled, cocking her head as if to ask him his opinion.  
“Yeah, we’ll come!” he said, getting up and brushing off his legs, which were tingling just a little from supporting Carmen so long. This could be fun.

The circle was indeed a bit smaller than it had been when he first saw it, but the only people who had left were people Alan didn’t know well. Aside from himself and Carmen, he counted Leslie, who was now leaning on Alan’s shoulder, Masami in Jamie’s bomber jacket and Jamie with Masami’s lipstick smeared on her jawline, Teri, Molly, Sarah, and a few unfamiliar faces.  
“Okay!” Masami clapped her hands to get everyone’s attention, but no one seemed to hear her.  
“Hey! Listen up!” Jamie’s shout startled Alan, and he shook his head a bit in shock. He always forgot just how loud she could get. Jamie pointed at Masami as everyone in the circle swiveled to face her. “She’s talking.”  
“Thanks. Anyway, I decided we’re gonna play truth or dare, because we haven’t done that yet tonight and it’s a classic. I’ll start. Jamie, truth or dare?”  
“Dare, obviously.”  
“I dare you to beat up the next person who makes me sad.”  
“That’s a waste of a dare. I would’ve done that anyway. But yeah, sure.” Jamie glanced around the circle. “Teri. Truth or-”  
“Truth!”   
“Fuck, you’re boring. Uh, what’s the most trouble you’ve ever been in?”  
Teri’s voice faded to be so quiet Alan could barely hear what she was saying.   
“Well, for a long time, I didn’t know those cute little bottles of hand sanitizer by the door of the bed and body store weren’t free, so when I was fourteen I got caught stealing nine of them. I got out of it by explaining I didn’t know and putting them back, but it was pretty scary for a second.”  
“That’s it?” Jamie laughed. “You’re almost as bad as Alan!”  
Alan felt his face go red, but he wasn’t that embarrassed. If anything, he was almost proud that he had a reputation for being and doing good.  
“Okay, um, Molly!” Teri said, her voice louder and more confident.  
“Truth!” Molly pushed her hair behind her ear, grinning.  
“Tell us… If something bad happened, like the apocalypse, who in the circle would you save first?”  
Molly frowned, thinking hard. “I guess I would have to say Sarah. We’re super close, you know? But if I could, I would save all of you! Actually, one time I was playing this apocalypse video game, and two of my friends were playing it with me, and they were both really low on energy but I only had one food item, so I had make that exact same decision! True story! Anyway, Masami! Truth or dare?”  
“I’ll take a dare. Why not?” Masami didn’t say it, but Alan could tell she expected Molly couldn’t come up with anything too bad. It was a smart way to play the game, he mused. Take dares from people who wouldn’t put you at too much risk, and don’t get bullied for only ever picking truth.   
“I dare you to… text the most recent person in your contacts and say something about them. Not necessarily something mean, but something about them. Then say it was the wrong number and they weren’t supposed to see that.”  
“Ooh, drama. Alright,” Masami said, pulling her phone out. “Cool, so, the person I texted most recently is Leslie, but he’s in the circle, so I’m going one down, and that’s- shit, that’s my dad!” Masami laughed, clearly not too worried about any potential consequences. She typed something out, Jamie squinting over her shoulder, then pressed send. “Okay, I called him a hard-ass and a total workaholic, but I also said I get why. He’s probably just gonna ignore it anyway. Leslie. Your turn, bitch. Truth or dare? And don’t pick truth. I already know everything about you.”  
“Fine, dare. You suck.”  
Masami smirked. “You already know what I’m gonna say.”  
Leslie sighed at her, but he was smiling. “Yeah, I think I do.”  
“I dare you to kiss Alan. Right now, in front of everyone. You’re welcome.”  
Alan’s face flushed. He had never even kissed Carmen in public- not because he was ashamed to, but because it just wasn’t the sort of thing he usually did. Sweet talk and hand holding, sure, but never actual PDA.  
“Alan? You okay with that?” Leslie asked. Alan couldn’t help but notice that his eyes were still blue. Of course they were, eyes didn’t just change colour, but the depth and brightness of them caught Alan off guard every time.  
“Do it,” Carmen whispered, nudging him. That was all he needed.  
Alan nodded sharply, just once, hyper aware of all the eyes on him and of Sarah ooh-ing to his right as he leaned in. Their lips met, and Alan wrapped one arm around Leslie’s back, using the other to steady himself. Holy shit, Leslie’s lips were soft. It made sense, he was always applying chapstick, but Alan hadn’t thought it would be this unbelievably nice. He had been right about Leslie feeling like an adventure. Alan’s whole body was tingling with affection and excitement, and his nerves about being watched melted away completely as Leslie threw his arms around Alan’s neck. Alan smiled into the kiss, his heart so full he was sure it was about to burst. Kissing Leslie was brand new, and that made it exciting, but it also felt profoundly right, as if Alan was made for kissing him. He never wanted to stop.   
“Okay, that’s enough!” Masami’s voice cut through the lovestruck mess that was Alan’s thoughts, and he and Leslie pulled away equally quickly, blushing at each other with stupid smiles on their faces.  
“Geez,” she continued playfully, “If you wanted to make me regret that one, you sure did it.”  
“Nope,” Leslie replied, trying and failing to appear composed. “But I can handle my own love life.”  
“No you can’t. Nice try, though. Now go, it’s your turn.”  
“Oh! Right! Um, Sarah-”  
Alan tuned out the rest of what Leslie said, still reeling. He heard Carmen joke to Leslie that maybe he had been right, maybe the two of them were indeed too much for Alan, but he didn’t try to correct her. He was overwhelmed with joy and infatuation, and he didn’t really care if she teased him for it a little. After all, he was just as in love with her, and, well, maybe Carmen and Leslie together really were just a bit too much for him, but in the best way possible. He felt his way around the floor to their hands, and grabbed on, still grinning ear to ear.   
“I got to kiss both of you,” he whispered happily, not expecting anyone to hear.  
“Yeah, you’re pretty lucky, aren’t you?” Carmen laughed back.  
“Or maybe we’re the lucky ones,” Leslie added, messing up Alan’s hair. Carmen’s eyes grew wide as she realised that, since Alan was sitting down, she could reach his head, and she took a turn playing with his hair as well. Alan hummed contentedly, leaning back against the wall and relaxing as Carmen’s fingers danced across his scalp and Leslie’s intertwined with his own.

Joe ended up getting permission to stay overnight, so it was just Alan, Carmen, and Leslie on the way back. Carmen offered to sit in the back, since she had gotten shotgun on the way there, and immediately regretted it when Leslie switched the radio from NPR to a pop station. Alan pulled up to Leslie’s house in the dark, and put the car in park.  
“I’m gonna walk you to the door, okay? Carmen, feel free to move up to the front seat.”  
Alan and Leslie were silent as they walked to the door, the kind of silence that was both awkward and comfortable at once. They stopped on the doorstep, and Alan cleared his throat, unsure of exactly what to say.  
“I had a really good time with you,” he said, something in his voice making it sound almost like a confession. “I, uh, I’d love to do it again sometime. Not even a party, necessarily, just me and you and maybe Carmen, maybe sometimes just the two of us, and, you know, nice times.”  
“I’d really like that too.” Leslie’s smile was genuine, and far softer than the one Alan was used to seeing from him.  
“Great! Good! Then, I’ll see you at school, yeah? Can I, um, can I kiss you goodnight?”  
Leslie didn’t answer. He just pushed up onto his toes and kissed Alan. It was short, and not very deep, but Alan could tell he meant it, and that was enough to give him butterflies all over again.  
“G’night, Alan.”  
“Yeah. Good night!”  
Leslie waved as he stepped inside, and Alan stood there for a second before walking back to the car. Carmen had switched the radio back to NPR, but she turned it off when Alan got in, clicking his seatbelt on as he closed the door.  
“Alright! Next stop, Carmen’s house. I kinda don’t want it to all be over yet.”  
“I know,” Carmen agreed. “I had a good time. And I still can’t believe Jamie can fit that many marshmallows in her mouth. Can’t decide if it’s impressive or just disgusting.”  
The car’s headlights cut through the dark night as Alan drove, Carmen’s voice putting warmth in his chest as she recounted stories from the party they had both just attended.   
“Okay. Here we are. May I escort you to your door, mademoiselle?” Alan stepped out of the car, bowing a little too deep to bring the joke home.  
“But of course!” Carmen replied, repressing her laughter. “I am a proper lady, after all.”  
Carmen’s house was nicer than Leslie’s, but not by too much. The most notable difference was the cobblestone pathway to the door, which Alan walked slightly ahead of Carmen on, repeatedly advising her to “Watch your step, mademoiselle, lest you should trip and hurt yourself.” The first time, Carmen played along, but by the third, she had given up on not laughing. When they reached the door, Alan extended a hand to help her onto the porch.  
“I had a really good time. I mean, it feels more normal with you, because we’ve done all this before, but I never stop loving it. Anything’s a good time when we’re together.”  
“I could say the same to you,” Carmen said, grinning in the lamplight.  
“I hope ‘tisn’t out of place for me to ask,” Alan drawled, returning to the joke, “but, my dear mademoiselle, might I steal a kiss?”  
“I had hoped you might ask, sir,” Carmen said. Even up on her toes, Alan had to bend down to kiss her. He had always found that adorable. Like most of their goodnight kisses, it was quick and gentle, and Carmen glanced at the door immediately after, as if checking her parents hadn’t seen.  
“Love you, Alan. See you on Monday.”  
“Love you, too, Carmen. Goodnight.”

When he got home, Alan put the car keys in their drawer, got ready for bed, and, upon lying down, found himself enveloped in a soft, quiet, genuine warmth. He couldn’t remember ever being so happy, or his heart ever feeling so full. Even as his mind raced, he found himself at peace and supremely comfortable. That night, Alan smiled even as he slept, and his dreams were the best he’d had in a long time.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! So! I haven't written a ton of fanfic before, and when I do it's not usually shippy like this, so I hope I did a good job! I had a lot of fun with this one, and hopefully I'll be back at it soon, most likely with something Masami-centric because I love her a whole lot. I really appreciate comments if you want to leave one, and I hope you liked my story! :D


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